Post your Eastern Caribbean Excursions here!!!

[SigalTchelet]

Just discovered this thread and I love it! My Eastern Caribbean Fantasy cruise is still a million years away, but this is making me really excited.

I saw one post mentioning San Juan port adventures and interested to hear more -- but is San Juan more of a 2014 destination?

Also, any recommendations of particularly good port adventures for two adults without kids? I've been to Castaway Cay so I'm familiar with what's there, but I'm particularly interested in knowing more about the St. Maarten (and San Juan) area.

I'm gong to St Maarten on our 11/30 Fantasy cruise. A group from our meet thread is using Bernard's tours. Have heard nothing but rave reviews of there tours! http://www.bernardstours.com/

 

[shreddermom]

Just got back from the Fantasy Eastern 2 weeks ago. On St. Martin we did the tour with Captain Bob of Soualiga Destinations. There were other families from the Fantasy on it as well. Great time and great tour with snorkeling a true adventure. On St. Thomas we did the Disney excursion Full Day Sail and Snorkel. While it was fun, there were so many people and other boats that it really seemed like a cattle boat. While we were at Honeymoon Beach on Water Island, the Kon Tiki barge arrived and really spoiled the atmosphere. I think it is better to do excursions on your own so you don't have the crowded cattle call feeling. Castaway Cay, just get off the ship early and choose the best lounger, get snorkel gear and a raft and enjoy the day. Try to find out when the bar starts the 2 for 1 specials.

 

[diznefan76]

Great thread!!...Subbing so I can get ideas for my Fantasy cruise next year!

 

[charwac1]

Hello all,

We are going in June of 2014 and there are enough of us so that I think a private boat is a good option. We have between 10-15 people with ages as low as 5 up to 55. We want to snorkel and hang out at the beach. Can anyone recommend a tour company that might be able to help us?

Thanks - Charlene

 

[3Adevas]

Officially 42 days from our Fantasy Eatern cruise:banana
We have done CC twice so we have it down pat! Interested in hearing recommends for St Mrtn and really want to do St John from St Thomas... Will be traveling w DS who is 4. Any advice is appreciated

 

[3Adevas]

Officially 42 days from our Fantasy Eatern cruise:banana
We have done CC twice so we have it down pat! Interested in hearing recommends for St Mrtn and really want to do St John from St Thomas... Will be traveling w DS who is 4. Any advice is appreciated

Oh and we prefer to book w outings on our own vs DCL excursions

 

[SigalTchelet]

Oh and we prefer to book w outings on our own vs DCL excursions

Hey fellow cruiser! We are doing Bernard's Tour #2 in St. Martin and we are DCL coral World in St. Thomas. Can't wait to meet you!

 

[alagille]

Hello all, We are going in June of 2014 and there are enough of us so that I think a private boat is a good option. We have between 10-15 people with ages as low as 5 up to 55. We want to snorkel and hang out at the beach. Can anyone recommend a tour company that might be able to help us? Thanks - Charlene

Try www.randomwind.com as Diane has a sailboat with up to 16-18 passenger capacity. we had 3 other families with us but if you have 15, she might just do a private charter. We had a lovely time and the kids got to play on the beach, adults hanging out with noodles or snorkel in the water. check out her website and email her. (She really does answer back!)

 

[3Adevas]

Hey fellow cruiser! We are doing Bernard's Tour #2 in St. Martin and we are DCL coral World in St. Thomas. Can't wait to meet you!

Hello! We are thinking about Bernard's. thinking we r heading to St John when docked in st Thomas. See y'all real soon :banana

 

[Paige Dixon]

Hello all, We are going in June of 2014 and there are enough of us so that I think a private boat is a good option. We have between 10-15 people with ages as low as 5 up to 55. We want to snorkel and hang out at the beach. Can anyone recommend a tour company that might be able to help us? Thanks - Charlene[/QUOTE

If you are looking for a charter in St. Thomas, I would recommend Good Day Charters. We could not have asked for a better day. We had 11 in our group ranging from 4-45. Captain Stan owns the boat, know all of the places to snorkel. The places we went, we were the only boat there. Pulled right up on a beach for us to have lunch at a great outdoor bar. Took us to a spot where the kids could walk onto the island to see hermit crabs and the little ones loved it while the older kids could snorkel. Check their reviews on Trip Advisor. Every review is a 5 with great feedback. Will book again our next trip there.

 

[closetmickey]

I was reading about the Randomwinds sailing and snorkeling trips in the first few pages of this thread. Goes out of St. Maarten. I don't know where the cruise ship docks on the island- is it nearby Simpson Bay? Does it take long to get there once off the boat? Has anyone done this with a ds7 and ds4.5? I can't book the traditional excursions for sailing and snorkeling b/c ds4 isn't yet 5. He loves the water and i'm sure he would enjoy. Are there other kids on the 20 person sailboat?

I just booked this for 5- Me, DH, DD12, DD12, and DD9. Am interested to hear too!! Anyone?

 

[Alexle2007]

We were just on the 10/5 Eastern Caribbean cruise. In St. Martin, we did the DCL snorkeling excursion. It was pretty short in length but the beach a we went to was nice without hawkers and we got to watch a jumbo jet circle around once before he decided to land. Came back to ship, had lunch and dropped our DS6 at kids club (his request) and DH and I grabbed the local boat to downtown for shopping. We didn't get anything. Prices were much higher than our local outlets for same stuff. Decided we didn't really care for St. Martin. Our dinner mates when to Orient Beach and were not impressed. Too many hawkers. For St. Thomas, we took the DCL excursion to St. John Trunk Bay. That was awesome! Would definitely go there again. We ran into a few people from the Carnival Dream there. Our boat guide pointed out where Joe Biden, Madonna and Michael Jordan's homes are on St. Thomas.

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Has anyone done Coral World on your own by taking a cab there? Ideally, we'd like to go to Coral World, do the semi-submarine, spend a few hours there, maybe hit the beach across the street and also see some scenery from up high. Can we just ask a cab driver to take us by a lookout point on the way home? The DCL excursions for Coral World don't incorporate both the sub and the scenic drive to the mountain top.

Thanks!

 

[MAJPLO]

Has anyone done Coral World on your own by taking a cab there? Ideally, we'd like to go to Coral World, do the semi-submarine, spend a few hours there, maybe hit the beach across the street and also see some scenery from up high. Can we just ask a cab driver to take us by a lookout point on the way home? The DCL excursions for Coral World don't incorporate both the sub and the scenic drive to the mountain top.

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure you can do all this by cab. But have you checked out Godfrey's Tours? He was very reasonable and flexible. Our group went to a different beach but a couple on the tour bus with us went to coral world and Coki beach. The tour also went to mountain top and a couple other places. Godfrey will do a custom tour for you if you don't find what you are looking for on his pre planned excursions.

 

[gometros]

We were just on the 10/5 Eastern Caribbean cruise. In St. Martin, we did the DCL snorkeling excursion. It was pretty short in length but the beach a we went to was nice without hawkers and we got to watch a jumbo jet circle around once before he decided to land. Came back to ship, had lunch and dropped our DS6 at kids club (his request) and DH and I grabbed the local boat to downtown for shopping. We didn't get anything. Prices were much higher than our local outlets for same stuff. Decided we didn't really care for St. Martin. Our dinner mates when to Orient Beach and were not impressed. Too many hawkers. For St. Thomas, we took the DCL excursion to St. John Trunk Bay. That was awesome! Would definitely go there again. We ran into a few people from the Carnival Dream there. Our boat guide pointed out where Joe Biden, Madonna and Michael Jordan's homes are on St. Thomas.

Don't let the hawkers dissuade you from going to Orient Beach. All you have to do is say no, and they leave you alone. It's still one of the most beautiful beaches.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using DISBoards

 

[cscream13]

I read recently on other threads that the Skyride and/or the 99 Steps/Blackbeard's Castle have been closed recently. Does anyone know if either of these are open now or when they are reopening?

We are cruising on the November 16, 2013 Fantasy and are looking for easy things to do with an infant. We are doing the Afternoon Beach Bash on St. Maartan, so are looking something that is not a trip to the beach.

DH and I are seasoned cruisers, but this is the first cruise with our son. We're both prepared to carry him around in a Baby Bjorn and do without a stroller.

 

[3Adevas]

Interested in hearing advice on doing St Marteen and St Thomas (but going over to St John from there on our own) with DS 4....
We did Western Caribbean last Dec when he was 3, brought lt wt stroller along which we used in Cozumel around port and Costa Maya at the ruins. Debating bringing the stroller along on the Eastern Fantasy next month but need to know about how much walking is involved that a 4 year old would it would not need brief rides in his stroller?

 

[tsaucedo]

Awesome info. Thanks!

 

[ctyankee]

Has anyone ever done the Kayak and Snorkeling Adventure on St. Maarten? We are a group of 5 who have kayaked before.
Thanks

 

[ilovepooh]

Didn't need the stroller on this cruise for my 3 year old! There wasn't much walking from the port to the beach excursion shuttles. We did French Riveria beach excursion but didn't like how many locals kept asking us to buy stuff. It was constant the whole time we were there. Next we did Magen's Bay beach excursion and the surf was so rough it kept knocking my kids (3 and 8 ) over and pulling them out. They were at the edge and it was that strong! These places are beautiful but as rough as the surf was with little to no beach at Magen's Bay I wouldn't recommend it with little ones. It was high tide so maybe it's not always like that all of the time.